Why does loading the News mp3 cause RDJ 1.7.5 to send CPU high?

[Pegbars]

As the late Paul Harvey would say, "Here's a strange..." 

While loading events, playlists, etc., RDJ 1.7.5 on my computer never gets above 30-40% CPU usage.  Most of the time, it hovers around 11-14%.  Tonight, I noticed RDJ is suddenly sending the CPU to 100% while loading the mp3 file for the news.  This continues for 5-6 seconds until the file appears at the top of the playlist.  Once it's on the playlist, however, it plays and sounds fine... but loading it causes the program to hang which makes the audio output hiccup or blank out entirely. 

I'm loading the file exactly the same way I always have - with an event.  The news is an mp3 which is downloaded by a podcatcher and sent to a directory.  The file is never the same name (the date and time are in the filename, making each one unique).  So, in Track Editor, I have the path set to the directory this news file is in... Category is set to News... Sub-Category is Hourly News...  Track Type is Newest from Folder.  In the Event which calls this file, I have "Load Track From Category" (News - Hourly News), and set to "Least Recently Played".

None of the other files, sounders, IDs, rotations, etc. that I load with events does this.  I've even tried relocating the news directory to another drive but the behavior is the same.  It runs the CPU to the max.

Any ideas what could be going on, or is this a bug in the new version?

[elsilva0]

First, thank you vry much man, you just say me the way to do one thing i wanted.

You just answer my question of this topic: http://www.radiodj.ro/community/index.php?topic=6147.0

You sugested me to a thing i was forgetin bout radiodj, the "Newest from Folder"

And mi idea for ur case is...

Maybe your hard disks are with no enougth space, and ur cpu is going to max.

Are ur hard disks with enough disk space? i read the word u wrote

The news is an mp3 which is downloaded by a podcatcher and sent to a directory.  The file is never the same name (the date and time are in the filename, making each one unique).

Maybe ur hd is getinf full space used and it making CPU forces to run rdj .

Issue like that is hapenin to me too, my radiodj somethimes, almost everytime events come or even other track/jingle plays gets slowly kiccut or blanl out too. I thinkin it can be made by only 4 ram or core 2 duo processor i have, anywya... maybe u have a disk space issue.

Why dont u try to take the old files out of ur hard disk or at least take it out of the directory the new files are being put?

[Pegbars]

Thank you, elsilva.     I have plenty of drives and space on them both.  They're not even half full.  I keep RDJ on the C: drive, and all the content on the D: drive.  I did try moving the news directory, but no change... the problem is still there.  And the news file is the only file that is giving me this problem.

But I'm glad I helped you think of something for your situation.   

[TQ]

Hi Pegbars,

If you don't use it already, you might like to download and install Process Explorer. I have found it to be an invaluable tool over many years when analysing problems on both workstations and servers. It will allow you to find historical data about CPU usage by hovering over the system information - CPU chart (double click the very small chart near the top of the window). I run it continuously in the background using CPU, I/O and physical memory indicators in the tray to monitor the health of my machine at a glance.

My thinking is that it may not be RDJ per se but some other process that is causing the problem.

You may also want to check out the DPC Latency Checker. I had a problem some months ago on my studio PC that caused a similar problem. In this particular case it was me messin' with the some encoder setting which upset the relationship between RDJ and the Icecast server. I learnt from this that I should shut down RDJ then restarted the Icecast service then restart RDJ to return everything to normal.

Hope this is of help.

TQ

[Pegbars]

Yes, thank you very much, TQ.  I will try those.  Much appreciative!     The latency checker looks very interesting, I've never used that before.

[Marius]

I am curious about the size of the file. If it is a large file i would try to remove the high precision cue points option (from track properties). That should speed up the loading process.

[Pegbars]

Thanks, Marius!  I tried that and it didn't seem to make a difference.  I'll run the tests and report back my findings.

[Pegbars]

The file itself is only 2.5MB.

[elsilva0]

I did try moving the news directory, but no change... the problem is still there.

You said u deleted, but did u delet these old news track in radiodj? track manager, select them and right click, delete selected tracks, Did u try it?

Maybe it is being loaded by radiodj even not being in directory imported to radiodj, maybe radiodj only are finding the new news track.

My thinking is that it may not be RDJ per se but some other process that is causing the problem.

TQ, I also thinkin this way.

In this particular case it was me messin' with the some encoder setting which upset the relationship between RDJ and the Icecast server. I learnt from this that I should shut down RDJ then restarted the Icecast service then restart RDJ to return everything to normal.

TQ, r u talking bout restarting icecast/shoutcast web service or the some encoder pugin? i guess u talkin bout the first.

[TQ]

TQ, I also thinkin this way.TQ, r u talking bout restarting icecast/shoutcast web service or the some encoder pugin? i guess u talkin bout the first.

Hi elsilva0,

I run the Icecast server locally so, as I said before, Stop RDJ, restart Icecast Server then restart RDJ.

TQ

[Pegbars]

elsilva... the old files are deleted daily by my podcatcher.  Thank you. 

TQ and Marius... the latency checker helped me find the issue!!  My wireless adapter card and the onboard sound card are causing the conflicts.  I have a PCI soundcard, but I've also been using the onboard to send audio to my transmitter from the output of Stereo Tool.  Unfortnately, I need the wireless connection to download the news...  but I've disabled the onboard sound for now until I can find another solution. 

Maybe a USB card or VAC?  I'm just curious as to why the problem is manifesting itself now, when it wasn't a problem before.

Thanks everyone for your good help!    

[elsilva0]

Maybe a USB card or VAC?

I use two sound cards in my on air pc, i used only one usb sound card, but i had a problem with the onboard and then now im using two. maybe because of this a am havin seem isue, but in less level, I hav that cheap usb 3d sound cards.

I'm just curious as to why the problem is manifesting itself now, when it wasn't a problem before.

I noticed u r solved the issue but only a half once u not sure why this issue only now.

hehehe good luck for us


I ve got other sugestion to know why is this issue only now...

Had you or ur podcatcher change any event aaround the news? anything?

[Pegbars]

No, the events are identical.

[TQ]

TQ and Marius... the latency checker helped me find the issue!!  My wireless adapter card and the onboard sound card are causing the conflicts.  I have a PCI soundcard, but I've also been using the onboard to send audio to my transmitter from the output of Stereo Tool.  Unfortunately, I need the wireless connection to download the news...  but I've disabled the onboard sound for now until I can find another solution.

It sounds like a IRQ (sharing) issue, assuming you are using the latest drivers for both of the offending devices you might want to check if there is an updated BIOS that you can flash to your motherboard. If there are driver updates, removing the old drivers, rebooting then reinstalling may well reassign the IRQ's in a more friendly fashion.

This article may of interest, from past experience I know that IRQ issues can kill a machine turning a Ferrari into a Larda

TQ

[ncborges]

Where do I find version 1.7.5 for download? People posting some problems with this version but I can't find any link for download it here on RDJ website.
Regards
Newton